VOLLEYBALL COMES UP WITH HUGE WIN AT WEBER STATE, MOVES INTO TIE FOR THIRD PLACE

11/5/2010

Olivia Moss (#2) and Eryn Kirby (#10) helped lead the Hornets to a 3-2 win over the Wildcats

OGDEN, Utah -- Sacramento State outside hitters Eryn Kirby (19 kills, 15 digs) and Janelle Currey (17 kills, 15 digs) combined for 36 kills and 30 digs to help lead the Hornets to a 3-2 win (21-25, 25-20, 28-30, 26-24, 15-8) at Weber State in a Big Sky Conference volleyball matchup Friday afternoon at Swenson Gym.

Playing in a rare matinée, the Hornets came up with a win in arguably their most important match of the season. Sacramento State is locked in a four-team scramble for the final two postseason spots in the Big Sky Tournament which takes place Nov. 26-27. The top four teams in the nine-member league reach the league’s postseason event, and the Hornets (13-14, 6-5) moved into a two-tie for third place with Montana (who plays later tonight) with just five matches remaining on the regular season schedule.

Today’s win sets up another playoff-implication match tomorrow evening as Sacramento State will travel to Idaho State (6-6) for a matchup beginning at 6 p.m. PDT. Idaho State and Eastern Washington are both tied for fifth with 6-6 records as only a half game separates the four teams battling for the final two postseason spots. The Hornets defeated Idaho State in a five-set match earlier this year in Sacramento.

The Hornets had dropped six straight on the road prior to today’s win, and the team is now 3-7 when playing on an opponent’s home floor. Sacramento State has now played in 11 five-set matches, and is 7-4 in those outcomes. With the loss, Weber State dropped to 3-23 overall and 1-12 in the conference.

Sacramento State had its back to the wall in the fourth set. Weber State had a 23-20 lead and needed just two more points to win the match, but the Hornets responded with a 4-0 run - capped by back-to-back kills from Kirby and Currey. After the Wildcats bounced back to tie the match at 24-24, the Hornets forced a Weber attack error followed by a Kelsey Elston ace to push the match to five. Sacramento State jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the final frame, and led comfortably the entire way, highlighted by a combo block by Elston and Currey to end the match.

The Hornets, who limited the Wildcats to a .224 hitting percentage, had four players finish with double figures in kills. Besides Kirby and Currey, rightside hitter Kayla Beal (11 kills, four blocks, .250 hitting percentage) and middle hitter Kelsey Elston (10 kills, two aces and four blocks) each posted double digits. The double-doubles for Currey and Kirby were their 16th and ninth of the season, respectively.

Sacramento State had 11.0 team blocks, including a match-high six from middle Olivia Moss, who also had five kills and a match-best .417 hitting percentage. Defensive specialists Breanne Menees (19) and Sydney Kordic (13) both had double figures in digs while setters Anna Schoener (30) and Katie Aprile (28) combined for 58 assists.

Weber State was led by Bethany Wray’s team-high 18 kills and 22 digs while Piper Wahlin added 16 kills and 13 digs.